


Accidents Happen

by TheMightyChipmunk



Series: Reddie Meet-Cute AUs [9]
Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Car Accidents, Cheesy pick-up lines, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 05:13:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13968057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyChipmunk/pseuds/TheMightyChipmunk
Summary: Eddie was walking home from a shift when he ... may have caused a motorcycle accident. The blame is really up in the air.





	Accidents Happen

**Author's Note:**

> YO I miss WRITING SCHOOL IS SO HARD
> 
> hope y'all like this, it's silly and short

Eddie didn’t like working night shifts. They made him cranky and sleep-deprived and more than anything, he _hated_ walking alone at night. It was like a one-way ticket to getting lost in his thoughts and ultimately getting depressed. He remembered talking to Stan about it and he was confused, kept saying anytime he could see the stars was his favorite, made him feel like there was so much possibility in the world.

Eddie did not agree. The dark scared him and _fuck_ so did space, don’t even get him started on that. If he stared at the stars for too long he would probably give himself a panic attack, wondering at how many there were and how much exactly he didn’t know and how huge the universe is and how small he was and… yeah, it was bad. So night kind of stressed him out and when he was in it, alone, it was his least favorite thing.

So, when he found himself in that very predicament while walking home from a particularly long shift, he did the only thing he knew how to. He called Stan.

“Hey Stan, it’s Eddie.” He said, faking cheerfulness when his best friend picked up the phone.

“Yes, Eddie, I know. I have caller ID because it is 2018. What’s up? It’s also 4AM.” Stan mumbled and Eddie felt a little bad for waking him up, but he also knew his friend wouldn’t be too upset.

“Right, okay, well I was just wondering if you could talk to me while I walk home?” Eddie asked shyly. Stan groaned loudly before sighing.

“ _Fine_. I can do that… because I am an _amazing_ roommate.” Stan said and Eddie cheered softly.

“You are.” He agreed as he stopped at an intersection, pressing the button to cross even though there were really no cars moving by.

“How was your shift?” Stan asked mid-yawn.

“Good! Not too bloody, which is always a pleasant surprise. Mostly just broken bones and the occasional stomach flu. The usual.” Eddie said. He liked his job at the hospital. He’d wanted to be a nurse for as long as he could remember, as some kind of repentance for the amount of diseases his mother forced on him when he was young.

 “That’s good. Hey, I left some dinner for you in the microwave. Mike and I went to that Italian place you like and I got you some pasta.”

“Uh you are an _actual_ angel.” Eddie said, his stomach growling just at the mention of food. And that wasn’t the only thing that growled. Eddie stopped under a streetlight when he heard the obnoxious rumble of a motorcycle, stopped at the light behind him. Eddie rolled his eyes at the noise.

Why do men be like that?

Eddie watched as the guy revved his engine and then moved forward, towards Eddie. He had one of those open helmets, without the glass visor, so Eddie saw his face, was able to meet his eyes. It was kind of like a religious experience.

Not for Eddie, though. He was too busy being annoyed by the chauvinistic show of masculinity that was inherent in any obnoxious motorcycle, in his opinion. But, that being said, he could tell when he caught someone’s eye and this guy _noticed Eddie_. Once their eyes met, the boy didn’t look away, his head stayed fixed on Eddie even as his bike moved forward.

“Oh, that can’t be safe.” Eddie muttered to himself as he kept watching, dread sinking in his stomach as the boy came to red light with no signs of stopping because, well, he was still looking at Eddie.

“What can’t be safe? The pasta? It’s in a to-go container in the microwave, I think it’s fine, Ed-”

“OH my God, look out!” Eddie called to the boy, ignoring Stan. He brought a hand to his mouth as he gasped. The boy heard Eddie, thank God, and turned around, pushing on his brake just in time to avoid slamming into a car that was moving through the intersection. Horns blared and Eddie’s stomach dropped as the force in which he hit the brakes sent him flying off the bike.

“Eddie? What was that noise? Did something happen?” Stan asked, sounding slightly more awake.

“I’m fine, Stan. Someone just got into an accident. I’ll call you back.” Eddie rushed out as he hung up quickly and ran towards the boy who was sprawled out on the blacktop, groaning. “Are you okay?” Eddie asked, kneeling down next to the boy. He groaned loudly at Eddie instead of replying, his eyes squeezed shut. When he opened them, though, he grinned weakly.

“Damn, I think I scraped myself up a little, falling for you.” The boy said and Eddie felt his jaw drop. Was he… _flirting_ with him? _Moments_ after a near death experience?

“You _must_ be concussed. Can you walk? We need to get you out of the road.” Eddie said, looking up to see if any cars were coming. Luckily it was a pretty dead intersection. Eddie put his arm under the boy’s shoulders and tried to heave him up. He moaned loudly but attempted to move with Eddie.

“Fuck, is it possible to break every bone in your body?” he asked and Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Yes, but I doubt that’s the case here, drama queen.”

“Wow, are you giving me sass after I just almost died?” he asked. And yeah, that’s a fair question, but Eddie was tired and his fuse was short when he was sleepy, “And when it was your fault too?”

“Excuse me? _My fault_?” Eddie asked as he helped the boy sit down on the curb.

“You’re just too damn cute. I couldn’t look away. Hey, are you a magician?” he asked and Eddie stood up straight, staring down at him with a confused expression.

“ _What_?”

“Because everything disappears when I look at you.” He said with another cheesy grin. Eddie choked on a laugh, completely confused by the course of this conversation.

“You are literally insane.” Eddie mused, shaking his head.

“That’s what they call me. Richie ‘Literally Insane’ Tozier. What do they call you?”

“Eddie.” He allowed after a long pause. The boy smiled and muttered the name under his breath with a dreamy grin. Then he leaned forward a little, looking like he was about to say something else, but he gasped in pain and clutched his arm.

“Does it feel broken?” Eddie asked, kneeling in front of him. Richie nodded and grimaced. Eddie looked over the rest of him and bit his lip.

“Shit, you’re bleeding too.” Eddie said, noticing the scrapes on his chin and the rips in his jeans, “And you could have internal injuries. Fuck, I really need to call 911.”

###

Richie wasn’t one hundred percent sure what was going on. Honestly, flying off his bike because he saw a hot boy isn’t something that would shock most people, when it came to Richie. But the fact that said hot boy was still with him? Currently speaking to the 911 people and caring for Richie’s general well-being?

Wild.

“Okay, they’ll be here soon. How are you feeling?” Eddie asked, sitting next him on the curb where Richie had laid out completely (he chose not to think about how gross public sidewalks are).

“Like I’ve been visited by an angel,” Richie cooed, internally freaking out at how pretty Eddie looked with the glow of the streetlights haloing is soft-looking curls, “A vengeful one, if my bruised body is anything to go by, but an angel nonetheless.” Eddie laughed and rolled his eyes, looking up at the sky in exasperation.

“Do you ever stop flirting? Or is this just a facet of your charming personality?” he asked and Richie shrugged.

“It distracts from the pain,” he admitted, “Especially when it makes you smile.” Eddie groaned and brought his hands to his face to cover the blush, which was just the cutest fucking thing _ever_ , Richie decided unanimously.

“Well then, who am I to ask you to stop?” Eddie dropped his hands dramatically and smiled. Richie brought his hand to his heart and sighed.

“Yeah, that’s the stuff.” Richie said, closing his eyes and moving his unbroken arm behind his head so that it rested easier, “So, cutie, what were you doing out so late tonight? Before you had to go all Florence Nightingale on a random idiot?”

“I just got off a shift, actually.” Eddie said.

“Oh? What do you do?”

“I’m… a nurse.”

“OH shit, so this is like your life, then? Fuck, why are we calling an ambulance? Just patch me up at your place, Nurse Eddie.” Richie said with a smile, only partly kidding. God, he hated hospitals. And Bill was going to make so much fun of him for ending up there three times in one year. Eddie just scoffed and shook his head.

“I don’t think I have the equipment to cast your arm in my two-bedroom apartment, sorry.” Eddie shrugged, turning to face Richie and crossing his legs in front of him. Richie looked up at him and smiled.

“It would probably be a little awkward too… bringing such a handsome guy as me home with your boyfriend there?” Richie asked tentatively. Eddie rolled his eyes.

“I don’t have a boyfriend. But you’re very sly, that’s cute.” Eddie said and if Richie was a more optimistic man, he would say there was a fond look on his face.

“Am I cute? That’s good. Very good… hey, you should-” Richie was cut-off by the approaching wail of sirens and when he looked down the street, he saw an ambulance riding towards them, “Well, looks like my ride is here.” Richie groaned, moving to sit up, but Eddie put a gentle hand on his chest.

“Looks like it. But hey, stay down, yeah? Don’t over-exert yourself.” He suggested kindly. Richie nodded and acquiesced easily. He didn’t fucking wanna move, everything started spinning a little bit when he did.

“Oh _shit_.” Richie cursed, grabbing at his pockets. Eddie’s face shifted to worry.

“What’s wrong?” he asked and Richie sighed.

“My bike. Do you think you could take care of it for me? Just get it out of the road and park it somewhere.” Richie asked, handing Eddie his keys, despite the boy’s wide eyes.

“Um, Richie, I don’t know how to drive a motorcycle.” He replied and Richie just shrugged.

“Do you know anyone who does?” Richie asked hopefully and Eddie shook his head for a moment before biting his lip.

“Well, yeah, but-”

“Perfect. Have them move it. And there’s a tracker in those keys because I lose them… all the time, so I can find you that way later.”

“Um… that’s creepy.” Eddie said, eyebrows furrowed but smiling a little. Richie clung to that.

“Yeah, it kind of is, isn’t it? But it’s better than you asking me to remember my phone number right now, because let me tell you, that isn’t going to happen.” Richie said plainly. Eddie choked out a laugh and nodded. Before he could say anything else though, the paramedics had pulled up and were asking for them.

###

“I can’t believe you made me wake up this fucking early because you have a c _rush_.” Mike groaned when they finally pulled up to their building. Eddie unwrapped his arms from around him slowly, groaning at the ache. He’d held on pretty tight because, well, motorcycles are scary and Eddie knew how likely it was that he could’ve died in a fiery wreck.

“I do not have a _crush_. I was doing a favor for a stranger whose death I almost had a hand in. I don’t think that is _so_ preposterous.” Eddie argued as he pulled his helmet off (there was only one on the back of the bike, since the one Richie had one was a little bloody and banged up and of course, Mike had given it to Eddie because he was an actual angel).

“Likely story, short stuff. But I’ll argue with you about that tomorrow. Let’s just go upstairs and go to bed so that I can get at least four hours before I have to go to work?” Mike begged. Eddie did feel a small pang of guilt at that, but also he didn’t really know what else to do. The only other person he knew who could drive a motorcycle was Bev and Eddie didn’t dare wake her up before nine. He was more afraid of her wrath than Mike’s.

Eddie didn’t expect to sleep as well as he did that night, considering the flirting and the just general adrenaline of the night before, but he did work a twelve hour shift at the hospital so… there was no way he wasn’t sleeping, guilt or no guilt. In fact, he pretty much slept through the whole next day, waking up when the clock read 6:00PM. 14 hours of sleep was… probably too much.

Eddie forced himself out of bed and into the kitchen, planning on making some kind of breakfast-dinner hybrid, when there was a knock on the door. Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, leaning against the fridge and calling out for Stan, hoping desperately that he was actually here and Eddie wouldn’t have to talk to _people_.

But unfortunately no one called out. And so Eddie was forced to face the world alone. However, when he went to answer the door, he was pleasantly surprised to see Richie, head bandaged and arm cast, looking much better than the last time Eddie had seen him. Even if the bags under his eyes were pretty pronounced, his eyes were bright and his smile wide. It warmed Eddie more than he’d care to admit.

“It’s my day off.” Eddie said after a long moment of the two staring at each other, even though Richie hadn’t asked a question. His eyes, however, did travel over Eddie’s body and he definitely noticed the Power Puff Girl pajamas. Richie just nodded and grinned, eyes sparkling.

“You look good.” Richie said, like they were old friends or something. Eddie rolled his eyes and leaned against the door frame, snapping out of the initial shock and slipping into the nonchalant demeanor that was associated with his flirting tactic.

“Well, you look like hell.” Eddie teased, fighting the smile that was pulling on his lips.

“Yeah, they say that happens when your body is thrown into concrete.” Richie laughed, making Eddie roll his eyes again.

“How’s your arm?” Eddie asked as he gestured to the fat cast on Richie’s arm.

“Broken in a couple places but luckily not bad enough to need surgery.”

“Are you going to have to go in soon and get a permanent cast?” Eddie asked and Richie nodded.

“Yeah. I’m thinking about going in really early and maybe getting a cute nurse. Maybe I’ll con my way into a sponge bath?” Richie teased.

“Sorry, but that’s not gonna happen for a lot of reasons. The main one being that I’m not an ortho tech, so.” Eddie shrugged and Richie raised his eyebrows.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to come up with some other injury, find my way to the ER.” Richie said and Eddie laughed.

“Don’t do that. I’m not sure how much more your body can take.” Eddie smiled before stepping back from the door, “Plus, an easier way would be just asking for my number.”

“Shit, where’s the fun in that?” Richie asked, eyes bright.

“You’re right. It’s so much better to just put a tracking device on me, right?” Eddie teased, making Richie blush slightly.

“To be fair, that was concussed me.”

“Aren’t you _still_ slightly concussed?”

“Possibly.”

“And yet I’m still going to invite you in. You hungry? I was about to make dinner.” Eddie said, stepping to the side so Richie could walk in. Eddie didn’t really know why he was doing it; he barely knew Richie, but something in him… didn’t want the boy to leave.

“I’d love to. After all, you owe me after almost killing me.” Richie said, clearing his throat at the end of his sentence. Eddie groaned loudly.

“Oh _please_ , do not blame me for that.” Eddie said, rolling his eyes as he tossed Richie his keys. He caught them (barely) and then turned them in his hands for a moment, seemingly contemplating something as he stared at Eddie.

“Hey, are you appendicitis?”

“ _Don’t_.” Eddie whispered, but of course, Richie ignored him.

“Because you’re giving me a funny feeling in my gut that says I should take you out.”

“ _Oh my God._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> seriously all comments from all people actually cure my depression
> 
> come say [HI](http://themightychipmunk.tumblr.com/)


End file.
